Embassy Festival

Changes in society have tightened the concept of identity. The Hague is a city with inhabitants of The Hague, expats and migrants from all corners of the globe. Art and culture can bring people together and offer reflection on their own identity and that of others. The Embassy Festival offers a cultural world tour on the Lange Voorhout whilst offering its visitors an open window on a multicolored program with art and culture. The free Embassy Festival brings a very diverse cultural experience for everyone within reach.

The festival site of the Embassy Festival can be regarded as a fusion of the world in which the festival program offers a two-day cultural world tour. In realizing this cultural journey around the world it helps that the world already comes together in The Hague. For example, 1/3 of the inhabitants of The Hague are born outside the country's borders. The Hague is also an embassy city; the representatives of many countries are housed in often stately well-guarded buildings. By joining forces with embassies, we unlock the cultural richness of many countries and bring them to the Lange Voorhout.

In close dialogue we realize an appealing festival program with lots of dance and music; the universal language that binds the visitors. The program team has experienced and constructive minds with a relevant track record. The Embassy Festival meets a clear need. At the Embassy Festival visitors see a piece of culture from their homeland and discover new cultures. Musical big shot from all over the world are programmed at the Embassy Festival alongside traditional amateur acts from different countries. The festival tempts visitors to meet each other, refutes and deepens insights in other cultures in an almost casual way. The Embassy Festival shows in a most literal sense that culture is fraternal. Unity in diversity. In this time, division and ugliness is what we see in the media and on social media when it comes to cultural diversity. The Embassy Festival actually contributes to the cultural offer in The Hague with a festival that is unique in its kind. The accretion of the public and the enthusiasm of the colorful visitors at the different performances show that the festival is in an upward movement.

The Friday night of the Embassy Festival can best be described as the kick-off evening. To get everybody warmed up for a weekend full of international culture. On Friday night there is the CONTEMPORARY STAGE on which bands from all over the world are programmed. At the CONTAINER STAGE there are traditional dance and music performances. Visitors can also go crazy on the dance floor of the silent disco.

The main program on Saturday, September 7 unfolds on five podiums. The festival has a stage on which CLASSICAL MUSIC is programmed throughout the day. On this stage, renowned and acclaimed musicians from all over the world have been featured in recent years (Valentina Toth, Barbara Kozelj, Stefanie True & Bobby Mitchell, Gudrun Sidonie Otto, Myrsini Margariti, Lavina Meijer, Frederique Saeijs, Nino Gvetadze etc). The programme is co-created in collaboration with Simon Murphy of The New Dutch Academy (conductor and violinist). Visitors of all ages and with a diverse cultural composition enjoy the range and the often personal stories that the musicians tell.

The CONTEMPORARY STAGE brings a broad international palette of contemporary pop and world music, bringing the sound of today and the future. Some examples from the rich program of recent years illustrate what we stand for. Last year we greeted the rapper and word artist Hemelbesem from South Africa, Baptiste W. Hammon the upcoming French chansonnier who combines his love for Americana with French folk and the popular indie band Blahalouisiana from Hungary. In 2014, the Danish singer songwriter Alex Vargas was on stage. In the meantime, this musician has grown into a celebrity with venues sold out everywhere. Another example is the flamenco guitarist Paco Renteria. Never before has the legendary Mexican flamenco virtuoso set foot on Dutch soil. For many lovers of flamenco and related music movements an unique event. Rentería shared the stage with stars like Luciano Pavarotti and Carlos Santana in the past. Another example is Con Brio, an American fun sensation that blew the public during the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam the year after his performance at the Embassy Festival.

A wide mix of dance, music and theater is programmed at THE CREATIVE ARENA. During the day, a program unfolds in which Irish dance (Kilkenny School of Irish dance) and Indian dance go hand in hand, followed by, for example, a performance by an artist flown in from Indonesia. The Creative Arena is a particularly popular stage where curiosity about different cultures can be felt by the visitors. Not every artist or group is flown in. Many program offerings at The Creative Arena are talented amateur companies, some from The Hague, who like to show their talent to the very diverse audience.

The Embassy Festival is a festival for people with any age. Many families enjoy diverse offerings together and experience an inspiring day. The KIDS COMPOUND is set up for the youngest children. In recent years, a varied program has been recreated. In 2017 a participation concert was held for children between the age of 1 and 4. Furthermore kids could enjoy a puppet show (by a famous Russian puppeteer), a coloring contest and much more.

In the CONTAINER STAGE, short performances by The Hague Cultural Institutions are programmed. In 2017, this was illustrated by TROJAN WOMEN, a concept based on a Greek tragedy presented by Compagnie Courage. A performance that was shown later in the National Theater. Winternachten International Literature Festival The Hague presented itself through a performance by poet MAX LEROU.

The connecting element between the different performance areas is the INTERNATIONAL MARKET. Here, in country pavilions scattered throughout the Lange Voorhout, we offer a wealth of the most typical and tastiest international dishes and drinks. Raclettes from Switzerland, Banann Pézé from Haiti, Sufganiot from Israel, Waraq al-'anib and Fattoush from Palestine and much, much more. Outside the snacks and drinks there was still plenty to find at the International Market, offered by embassies. For example, painting Vietnamese hats for children or making Ukrainian artisan pottery, et cetera.

Participating embassies 2018
Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Mozambique, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Sint Maarten, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sudan, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Ukraine, Vietnam, Yemen